1) “The Simpsons,” 8 p.m., Fox. The 36th Halloween special arrives, a tad early. It’s sometimes funny, sometimes way too violent, but always with sharp satire. One portion points to the quality kids’ shows that have ended. Others view our obsession with greasy food and with plastic (shown here). Homer fighting lard or turning into plastic? It’s both ominous and entertaining.
2) “The Road” debut, 9-10:30 p.m., CBS. A dozen country singers each do one song apiece, before a rowdy crowd waiting for Keith Urban. Fortunately, all twelve — ages 23 to 49 — are talented. It’s a great start, despite a flaw: We only hear snippets of each song, not allowing musical storytelling to unfold.
3) “Tracker” season-opener, 8 p.m., CBS. Jensen Ackles, the longtime “Supernatural” star, returns to his occasional role as Colter’s brother. As they digest news about their father’s death, they search for the wife and daughter of one of Reenie’s clients.
4) “Maigret,” 9 p.m., PBS. This second two-parter finds Maigret tugged between cases: A likable young influencer is missing; a despicable mogul is threatened. It’s a strong story (ending next week), with a major mistake by Maigret. That follows the start of a four-week “Miss Austen” rerun, with Keeley Hawes great, as usual, this time as Jane’s sister.
5) ALSO: Two potent stories conclude — “Task” at 9 p.m. on HBO, “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” at 9 (rerunning at 11:26) on AMC. At 8:33, ABC has “Edward Scissorhands” (1990), a twisted fable, with Johnny Depp brilliantly directed by Tim Burton. And at 10:30, CBS reruns the delightful opener to its “DMV” comedy.